Tuning your car stereo - Head Unit Equalizer - No DSP! PROCESS EXPLAINED

Many aftermarket head units now have an "EQ" or equalizer built in. What is the equalizer for and how do we tune and set it on our head unit car stereo? Should we use an RTA? Is this a replacement for a stand alone Digital Signal Processor (DSP)? Let's go through the process!

🔨 Tune your system with AudioControl's SA-4100i SPL Mic!

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Here at Car Audio Fabrication I teach you how to Master Car Audio in an effort to Design, Build, and Install your ideal car audio system. Whether you are a hardcore basshead or a HiFi focused audiophile I would love to have you subscribe and join our community!

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Car Audio Fabrication – Master Car Audio – Design, Build, Install

[yamman]

This is one channel that truly just keeps on giving and giving. You have earned every subscriber

[NKPMPRODUCTIONS]

As someone working on my first car audio installation you have been amazing. Thank you for the videos!

[MrDopey]

I've always wondered and wanted to get a DSP, but never knew enough about them. A good long in depth video would help out a lot Mark. Thank you for all the smaller details that are usually harder to figure out. My top 3 awesome people I follow for car audio are; car audio fab, SMD, and good ole EXO. YOU GUYS ROCK!!

[gilloyola]

Definitely want to see some in depth dsp tuning

[budjiman]

Can you do a video for those of us that don't have these resources? An example would be we have a new headuit (maybe not a 1200 dollar one but like 300 or 400) and we have our ears. Lol. A video like that would be cool for us "poors"😂

[mildaudiophile]

I actually used this eq setting and it worked for my system now my system sound great at high volumes before I had lots distortion

[brettdyrland]

Just a heads up, the head unit is using DSP (Digital Signal Processing) internally to adjust the frequency gains for the eq. It is the same thing as the RTA, except one process is automatic and one is manual. If you wanted to adjust the eq without DSP you would see a bunch of analog dials or faders like we saw in the 90's. Your stand alone processor will give you more options of crossovers and eq's, but both are using DSP.

[jeffpickett]

Yes please do an in-depth video on the DM-810 (basically a setup and tuning video for dummies) I recently purchased one in preparation for my upcoming install, all of your videos are great keep it up, and thank you for all you do

[keystoneclassic]

Would love to see a run down on DSP's and how to tune with one of those.

[keithstone]

i was just messing with mine yesterday. i love this channel thank you for all that you do

[marccoletta]

I would love to see an in-depth tuning video using the DSP.

Topics:
- What speakers to start with.
- What frequency to cross over the speakers at
- what volume level to play the pink noise at for tuning


Thanks
Marc Coletta from Canada

[kylar]

Good shit Mark, as always. I don't want to come off as that guy, but seriously, investing into a dsp, really is the way to go. I know people work hard for their money, and I get it, but man, what it can help you unlock, is super super helpful/beneficial. Nice work mate.

[kimokahikolekalihi]

It would be cool if you made an in depth tuning video going over stuff like tuning separate EQs for each channel and crossovers.

[kurttevan]

This has been helpful in adjusting my eq to improve and remove harshness from my car speakers and to make my system sound great. .

[markphilpot]

Audio Control. That’s the EQ back in the day. Still have the best offerings. You got issues and they have.solutions. It’s just not a problem is all! Great video, I needed to see that! We had Eclipse, Sony and Soundstream for heads, used Audio Control EQ and crossovers. And there were Soundstream Class A on the tweets, Soundstream Class ABs on mids and Soundstream running grunt. That is sweetness to your ears. Stay safe mates!😊👍🏻😷

[jcodol]

Really appreciate these videos. I was never able to correctly tune my car stereo before watching your videos. Thank you.

[tays]

I just installed a new head unit and 4 channel amp with four 6.5 jbl gto in the doors of my foxbody, your really making me want to dig out my old clarion PEQ460 out of my ole audio stash. Still have a planet audio neo8 in there too.

[felikska]

I love all the technical and practical advice you’re giving and it inspired me to upgrade my car audio system. One thing I’d love to see is wireless/ Bluetooth connections to amps or HU’s!
Because to be honest... we install upgraded speakers, sound dampening and amplifiers but in the end we stream “low quality” mp3s via Spotify or Apple Music.
How to upgrade the Bluetooth signal (muse02 op-amp) be one question or wiring the phone to an amp would be cool to get an insight on.
Just to get an even balance between streaming quality and the build quality of the speakers and system amp’s~ (I’m not a audiophile but still wanna get out the best results 😜)
For future awesomeness!

[toddcasteel]

I love what you do I prefer doing things my self I have a 2011 Chevy Avalanche I have been trying to find a mid gate box for 2 round 12s since Covid stuff has been harder to find and I don’t know why the box can’t be made with a small slot to slide the back window like underneath some place I am trying to improve my skills with the router like you probably not going to get there in time but I appreciate everything I put out there it helps a lot

[TheCompleteConfusion]

So I watched this video quite a while back just for the fun of it. But I just “finished” my cars audio set up. Quotations because I’m sure I’ll add to it in the future. But I digress..
I’ve been having a hard time setting my EQ recently. I have a Dayton audio RTA mic I’ve used for a LOOOONG time, so I’m able to set everything level, and I would adjust from there. But I just couldn’t find a target curve I was happy with. Everything just kept like it was missing something. Not enough bass, too ear piercing. I took a screenshot of YOUR target curve and decided just for a fart and a laugh I would copy it (as much as I could anyways. And man. That is a very crisp target curve. I had to make a pretty big drop around 8khz (which I think was my problem. I was just getting way too much high end. But I was nervous to drop it that much and loose that frequency. Not really realizing how much high end frequency it was producing. But I popped up 16khz for a little extra clarity.